By Blake Dowson
Sasha Schmid is coming home to Iowa City.
The former Hawkeye tennis standout from 1992-96 was announced on July 29 as the eighth head coach in the history of the Iowa women’s tennis team.
“I would like to thank [Athletics Director] Gary Barta, [Assistant AD] Mark Hankins, and the entire search committee for having the confidence in me to lead this special program,” Schmid said in a release. “I am absolutely thrilled to return to the Hawkeyes and build on the foundation recently established by Katie Dougherty. The University of Iowa represents a return home for my family. I am humbled by the opportunity and cannot wait to get to work.”
Schmid has spent the past 15 years as a head women’s tennis coach, most recently a five-year stint at Missouri. Before her stay in Columbia, Schmid spent 10 seasons as the head coach at Stetson. She was a three-time Atlantic-Sun Conference coach of the year with the Hatters.
Dougherty, who Schmid follows as head coach of the Hawkeyes, left the program earlier this summer to move closer to home and help the Maryland women’s tennis team.
The newest Hawkeye coach has spent time on the Iowa coaching staff in the past, as an assistant from 1997-99. During that time, the Hawkeyes made their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance, an appearance in the top-25 national rankings, and a trip to the Sweet 16.
“Sasha has great head coaching experience at the highest level and a strong national reputation,” Barta said in a release. “She’s extremely excited to come back to Iowa City to coach her alma mater.”